Third-rail control



Oct. 14, 1924. 1,511,253

W. ALT

THIRD RAIL CONTROL Filed Oct. 11, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN l/E N TOR Willa/n Ah Get. 14. 1924- w. ALT

THIRD RAIL CONTROL Filed Oct. 11, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,lNl/ENTOR v FW/liam A l" Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

WILLIAM ALT,- OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

THIRD-RAIL CONTROL.

Application filed October 11, 1922. Serial No. 593,778.

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ALT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Third-Rail Controls; and I do hereby declare the following to be. afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means tor cutting out or isolating a section of third rail when conditions arise making it desirable that such be done, as for example, if the train, more particularly a subway train, should become stalled in the subway or tunnel for some reason, as for example a blow out in the train circuit.

In order that the scope of the invention may be fully understood it may be pointed out that at the present time if a subway train should become stalled in the subway for some reason not directly involving the flow of current in the third rail, the lights in a train are usually extinguished coincident with such stalling and consequently the passengers are left in darkness. It may be further pointed out that the subway is usually only dimly lighted thus making it diflicult and dangerous for passengers to find their way out of the subway. The result is that panics are often caused when the train becomes stalled.

The present invention has for its object to provide means for lighting up that section of the subway in which the train is stalled and for electrically disconnecting a section of third rail in that block or part of the subway in which the train is stalled, thus forestalling panics due to darkness and avoiding the danger to life and limb incident to walking along a third rail.

The various features of novelty and invention will appear from the detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, the scope or the invention being defined in-the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing the application of the invention within a section of subway;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic detail view showing the preferred form of switch mechanism for isolating. a section of third rail and for shunting the current around said third rail section, and

Figure 3 is a view showing one means tor establishing the initial connection between third rail and shunt circuit.

In the drawings n represents the track and B the third rail through which current is supplied to the train passing over the track. In the present invention the third rail is not made continuous but is divided into sections 79 and b of appropriate length, these lengths to be at least as long as the train which ordinarily passes over the tracks. In the present subway practice the trains are about ten cars long and have a length of approximately five hundred and fifteen feet.

The adjacent ends of the third rail are connected by a conductor C which passes through a switch box 5. In the drawing the leads of this conductor are shown at c and 0 In order to prevent a break in the cur rent passing through the train as the train passes over the gap between the adjacent third rail sections, there may be provided a short section Z9 01 third rail opposite the said adjacent ends at the other side of the track, it beingunderstood that the cars are provided with contact shoes at either'side oi the track so that one shoe would always be receiving current from the third rail. The provision of this short section b of third rail is however optional as regards the pres ent invention. i

In normal operation of the system the current will flow from one third rail section to the other through the conductor 0 without interference. With each length of third rail section B there is provided a normally dead circuit D which extends from one switch box 5 to the other. The circuit or conductor D is preferably normally grounded, 01 and d indicating the ground leads running from the switch box 5 to the ground or as shown in the drawings to the track A. Arranged in the circuit D is a plurality of lamps 6 which are adapted ,to light up when the current is passed through the conductor D in a manner presently explained. 7 indicates the subway wall along which the conductor' D and lights 6 are supported, and 8 is a so-called duct-bench through which are passed various electrical cables. During the normal operation ofthe subway, current would be passed through the various third rail sections B by reason of the fact that the adjacent ends of said sections are connected by a conductor C through which the current normally freely flows. The mechanism for shunting the current through the shunt or circuit D and for isolating that section of third rail adjacent to or corresponding to the particular or adjacent shunt circuit will now be explained.

At either end of the shunt circuit D are switches'for disconnecting the said circuit from the ground and also interposed in the third rail circuit C is a switch or plurality of switches for breaking the circuit through C. In. the drawings E and E indicate switches at the front and rear ends of the shunt circuit. D. The switchesmay take any suitable form but for the purpose of illustrating the operation of the invention, 9 indicates the terminals in the circuit and the movable or shiftable member of the switch is indicated at 10 the same constituting one end ofa lever 11 which is pivoted as at 12 to the switch box 5. A spring 13 normally tends to turn the lever 12 whereby to break the ground connection of the circuit D for reasons that will presently appear.

In order to maintain the switch E (E) in position there islprovided a hook 14 which is held in engagement with another hook 15 depending from the lever 11, a spring 16 normally acting. to maintain the hooks 14 and 15 in engagedrelation. hen the electro-magnet F (F) is energized the hook 142 is disengaged from the hook 15 thus allowing the spring 13 to act on the lever 11 to break the connection of member 10 between points 9 in the circuit D.

The circuit C which connects the ends of adjacent third rail sections is not a continuous member but includes a short section 0 which may be termed the loop of the circuit C. This section 0 has extended terminals 17 and 17" which are adapted to be engaged by the other end 18 of the respective levers 11. W Vhen the terminals 17. and 18 are in engagement, the ground connection of cir: cuit D will be broken as is shown at the left in Fig. 2.

The circuitC includes two switches G and G of any suitable type. For purpose of illustration these switches have been shown as constituting elbow levers having electrical connection with their respective leads 0 and 0 by means of pivots 19. The short section of conductor 0 has switch points 20 with which one arm of the elbow levers may contactto establish electrical connection be tween the short section 0 andthe adjacent sections 0 and 0 The other arm of the elbow lever is connected to the movable element 21 of a solenoid H (H).' When the solenoid is energized the circuit C is'broken as soon as either switch G or G is thrown out. H indicates a solenoid for the switch G corresponding to a solenoid H. It will be seen that the coils of the solenoids H and H constitute a part of the ground circuits of the shunt circuit D. Consequently in order for the said solenoids to be energized, electric current must flow through the shunt circuits to the ground. The electro-magnets F and F are also energized from current passing through the ground leads of the shunt circuit D. The switch mechanism in the switch box is set into operation by first establishing a short circuit between the third rail and the shunt D. In Fig. 3 I have shown a conductor for effecting this short circuit the same preferably compris ing a conductor 22 having at one end a tonglike grip 28 for securement to the third rail, the other end of the conductor being pr0- vided with a hook 24: whereby said conductor may be hooked over the horizontal portion of the circuit D. The hook 24 is provided with an insulated handle 25 whereby the inotorman' or trainman is enabled to place the hook 24 over the circuit D; The

surplus length of the conductor 22'is held in a block 26 as will be readily'understood. Operation of the device will now be briefly described.

Assuming that the train has beenv forced to stop in the subway as by reason of a fuse blow out. In such cases the trainis left in darkness and consequently the. passengers may become much alarmed and a panic may result in their effortsto leave the stalled trains and to gain. access to the outside of the tunnel. The motorman as soon the train has been forced to stop will make connection between the third rail and the shunt circuit D, thereby causing the current to flow into the shunt circuit and causing the lamps to become lighted. The flow of current as already indicated is first to the ground butthis is only, mo-

circuit D and will releasethe hook let fromthe book 15 of the lever 11, thus permitting the spring 18 to move the lever 11 to open switches E and E. As soon as the switches E and E are opened the circuit or shunt D is no longer grounded as will now be understood. As the lever 11 is moved by the spring to open the switch 3 or E, the swltch elements 17 and 18 are brought into contact and consequently there is established a direct connection from the third rail secion to the shunt circuit. In Fig. 2 'the iao Lil)

switch mechanism at the left of the figure is shown as in position for shunting the current from the third rail section 6 around the shunt D through the switch l and short conductor On the other end o1 the same shunt circuit D the mechanism would also have been operated to cut oil the ground connection 01" the said shunt circuit D consequently passing all the current around the shunt into the next third rail section.

WVhen short circuit is first established between the third rail and the shunt D by means ot' the conductor 22 current will flow to ground at both ends oi": the said shunt circuit. This how of current may cause, for example, the electro-magnet F and the solenoid. H to be energized and consequently the switch E will be opened to break the ground connection at that end of the shunt circuit and the switch G will be operated to break the circuit in the conductor C. If the switch mechanism at the other end of the shunt circuit should be somewhat slower in operating that end oi": the shunt would still be grounded and consequently current would still flow from the said third rail section to the ground until the electro-magnet F and solenoid H are energized to break the ground connection and disconnect the adjacent end of the third rail from the conductor C. It will. now be seen that when the switches G and G" at either end of the shunt D are open that the third rail section between the ends of the shunt circuit is disconnected from the rest of the third rail system consequently passengers can with safety walk along the track without danger "from electric current in the third rail. It will also be remembered that the shunt circuit D is provided with lamps 6. These lamps will light up as soon as current is flowing in the shunt circuit and consequently that section of the tunnel along which the shunt circuit runs will bewell lighted and thus one of the causes of panic is eliminated.

In order to notify the central station that a train has been stalled in the subway or that it has been necessary to disconnect a section of third rail a signal system may be employed in connection with the invention. indicates an annunciator which will be located at the central station and 31 a wire leading from the annunciator to the switch box 5. This wire connects with a push button 32 which normally holds the circuit 31 open by being pressed open by the adjacent switch G (G'), the push button when the switch is in normal position being in abutting relation with the one face of the switch arm. When the switch as G is open the push button moves outwardly to close the circuit 81 consequently actuating the annunciator 30. The push button is of such character that it will serve as a stop to prevent the open switch m! being; returned to normal position until the push button is POSlllVGly moved to allow the switch to be closed.

To reset the switch mechanism to re-establish circuit through the isolated third rail section (5) the respective switches G and G (G as Viewed in Fig. 2) are first closed with the loop 0 of the conductor C and thereafter the switches 11 are opened with respect to the loop 0 and the ground circuit of the conductor D established through a and (P. The operation of the said switches in resetting the system may be effected in any suitable manner and suitable sate guards may be provided for operating said switches in proper sequence.

While I have described the invention with great particularity of detail I wish it to be distinctly understood that no limitations are intended on the invention except as may be interposed upon the appended claims by the prior art.

Having thus described the invention what i claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a series of third rail sections means normally electrically conthe adjacent ends of said sections a plurality of normally dead conductors coextensive with each third rail section, and switch mechanism in connection with said means for transferring the current from a third rail section to the adjacent of said conductors whereby to electrically isolate a. third rail section.

2. The combination as in claim 1., further characterized by said switch mechanism being automatically operable to shunt the current from a third rail section to the adjacent conductor when an initial short circuit is established between a third rail section and said conductor.

3. The combination as in claim 1, said conductors including lamps in the circuit.

The combination with a track and third rail, of means for electrically isolating a section of third rail, said means including a shunt around said section, the shunt being normally grounded and means for disconnecting the shunt from ground when a short circuit initially established between the third rail and said shunt and for isolati a section otthird rail between the terminals of the shunt when said short circuit occurs.

5; The combination with a track and third rail, of a shunt along a section of third rail and normally disconnected therefrom, a switch at either end of the shunt in connection with the third rail and means for automatically operating the switches to electrically isolate the third rail between the shunt and pass the current through the shunt when a short circuit is first established between the shunt and third rail.

6. The combination Witha track and third rail of a shunt along a section of third rail and normally grounded, a switch at either end of the shunt for disconnecting it from ground, a solenoid between ground and the adjacent switch, and means causing the solenoids to throw the switch and shunt, thereby passing the current through the shunt and isolating a section of third rail between said shunt.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

, WILLIAM ALT. 

